Joseph D. Beck

This article is about the United States congressman. For other uses of the name, see Joseph Beck (disambiguation).

Joseph D. Beck
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th district
In office March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929
Preceded by	John J. Esch
Succeeded by	Merlin Hull
Chairman of the Wisconsin Industrial Commission
In office September 1915 – July 1917
Preceded by	Charles H. Crownhart
Succeeded by	George Hambrecht
5th Commissioner of the Wisconsin Bureau of Labor Statistics
In office June 1905 – July 1, 1911
Appointed by	Robert M. La Follette
Preceded by	Halford Erickson
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1866-03-14)March 14, 1866 Webster, Vernon County, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	November 8, 1936(1936-11-08) (aged 70) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Sarah Jane Peavy ​ ​ (m. 1888⁠–⁠1936)​
Children	Lori Alexander Beck (b. 1890; died 1893) Maud Ethel Beck (b. 1891; died 1891)
Education	Stevens Point Normal School University of Wisconsin
Occupation	Farmer, politician

Joseph David Beck (March 14, 1866 – November 8, 1936) was an American farmer, labor reform advocate, and progressive Republican politician from Vernon County, Wisconsin. He served four terms in the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 7th congressional district from 1921 to 1929. He was a close ally of Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator Robert M. "Fighting Bob" La Follette. Working for La Follette's administration earlier in his career, Beck contributed significantly to the crafting of Wisconsin's worker's compensation laws, was then one of the initial appointees to the Wisconsin Industrial Commission (serving from 1911 through 1917) and was chairman of the commission from 1915 through 1917. In his early career, his name was often abbreviated J. D. Beck.

Early life

Joseph D. Beck was born on his family's farm in the town of Webster, Vernon County, Wisconsin, near Bloomingdale. After his early schooling, he went to work as a farmhand in the town of Magnolia, Rock County, Wisconsin. During that time, he began teaching school and studying in his spare time. He finally entered Stevens Point Normal School in the 1890s, graduating in 1897. After four more years teaching and serving as a principal in Westby, Wisconsin, and later Cashton, Wisconsin, he entered the University of Wisconsin at age 35, graduating in 1903.

Labor commission

At the time of Beck's graduation, Robert M. La Follette was in his first term as governor and had begun enacting his progressive agenda. Beck was selected as deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics before completing his graduation. Two years later, La Follette appointed Beck succeeded Halford Erickson as labor commissioner. For the remainder of his life, Beck was considered part of La Follette's inner circle of progressive allies in the state.

While serving on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Beck was deeply involved in crafting new labor legislation. He was responsible for a major study of employer liability and worker's compensation which became the basis for Wisconsin's landmark workers' compensation law in 1911—the first such law in the United States (New York had passed a first worker's compensation law, but it was nullified by the courts). The dual aims of the law were to ensure swift and reliable compensation for injured workers, and to protect businesses, taxpayers, and state court resources from the growing volume of tort suits. Workers who had sustained a work injury that rendered them unemployable could be awarded permanent and total disability payments, but were not allowed to sue their employers. Beck's notoriety led to him being offered a role in the federal government, but he was ultimately persuaded to remain in Wisconsin.

He was also one of the authors of the bill which abolished the Bureau of Labor Statistics and replaced it with the Wisconsin Industrial Commission in 1911. When the industrial commission was created, Beck was appointed one of the first three commissioners, along with Charles H. Crownhart and John R. Commons.

U.S. Congress

Beck was elected a Republican to the Sixty-seventh United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929). He was elected as the representative of Wisconsin's 7th congressional district.

Later years

In 1928, he passed up running for another term in office to instead unsuccessfully run for the Republican nomination of Governor of Wisconsin. Later Beck worked with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. He died in Madison, Wisconsin.

External links

• United States Congress. "Joseph D. Beck (id: B000291)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.